Memories
by X.shini.shini.koroshi.X
Summary: Memories of the Doctor haunt Rose. His voice, his face... Are everywhere. But what's the one memory that Rose will never forget?


It has been a year since the Doctor said his final goodbye to his former companion, Rose Tyler. She is still affected by that day at Bad Wolf Bay. She sees the Doctor's face everywhere and constantly hears his voice. "I'm burning up in a sun just to say goodbye," over and over 'll never forget their time together; the first day they met, the first time he saved her, that eventful day that changed her entire life, is always on her mind. Her dreams are filled with Daleks, Cybermen, and other creatures that she encountered during her travels with the Doctor. She will usually wake up, crying out for the Doctor, at the shout of "exterminate" or "delete" by the alien monsters that have taken over her dreams, turning them into nightmares.

Not all of her memories haunt her like this, though. Before the Doctor, Rose never knew her father, Pete Tyler; he died when she was an infant. Accepting a request from Rose, the Doctor took her back in time to November 7, 1987, the day of her father's death. Rose will never forget the pure joy that overtook her when she first saw her father. Giving in to her impulses, Rose saved her father's life, altering his timeline. Reapers soon appeared, materializing in an attempt to set Pete's timeline straight by devouring everything in sight. The Reapers were not successful; the Doctor saved the day, as he always did. Despite this frightful occurrence, Rose is grateful that she saved her father. She got to talk with him and learn who he was, what his life was like. This memory is nothing but positive for Rose.

There is only one event that is guaranteed to stay with Rose for the rest of her life: the Doctor's regeneration into his ninth incarnation of himself.

_~begin flashback~_

_The Daleks were quickly making their way up to the 500th floor of the Game Station. Many humans have already been exterminated, shot by the Daleks' lasers. Captain Jack Harkness is also among the deceased. Rose knows that there is only one way to stop all of this madness. She must look into the heart of the TARDIS._

_With Daleks on Floor 500, and the Emperor Dalek on a large television screen, the doors of the familiar blue police box open. Everyone in the room is blinded by a yellow-gold light, shining brighter than the sun itself. Rose steps out, radiating the same light as the interior of the TARDIS. "What have you done!?" the Doctor shouts._

_Rose replies in a voice that no one has ever heard from her before. "I looked into the TARDIS, and the TARDIS looked into me." Before the completion of this sentence, the Doctor shows fear, anger, and surprise in one facial expression._

_"You looked into the time vortex, Rose! Nobody is supposed to see that!" The emotion in his voice cannot be disguised, no matter how hard he tries._

_Appalled by what it sees, the Emperor Dalek exclaims, "This is the Abomination!" referring to Bad Wolf, the entity that Rose has taken on. It is also one of the many beings that are abhorrent to the Dalek race._

_In the midst of this chaos, a Dalek shouts the infamous battle cry, "Exterminate!" and shoots, attempting to kill Rose. She simply raises her hand and reflects the laser back to her assaulter. The retaliation does not kill it, but it is surprised. Seeing this, the Doctor stares at Rose in disbelief._

_Rose speaks again in the same voice that escaped her mouth earlier. "I am the Bad Wolf. I create myself. I take the words..." She raises her hand again, taking the letters from a Bad Wolf Corporation sign, "...I scatter them, in time and space," Rose pushes the letters away. "a message to lead myself here."_

_"Rose! You've got to stop this; you've got to stop this now," the Doctor exclaims. "You have the entire vortex running through your head! You're going to burn!"_

_"I want you safe, my Doctor: protected from the false God."_

_The Emperor Dalek knows that Bad Wolf, taking the form of this human girl, is going to attempt to kill it. "You cannot hurt me," it states. "I am immortal!"_

_"You are tiny," Rose explains to the alien-metal hybrid. "I can see the whole of time and space; every atom of your existance, and I divide them." Rose raises her hand again, and the Dalek that took a shot at her disintegrates in an explosion of golden dust. "Everything must come to dust; all things, everything dies."_

_"Purify the Earth with fire. The planet will become my temple and we shall rise! This will be our paradise!"_

_"The Time War ends," Rose states._

_Although Daleks know no emotion besides rage and agression, The Emperor Dalek is scared. Everyone knows this is true. "I will not die! I cannot die!"_

_Rose's eyes glow brighter with the same yellow-gold light radiating from her entire body. All over the world, the Emperor Dalek and its army disappear in explosions of glittering, golden dust, just as the first Dalek did. Rose's eyes quickly go back to radiating a slight glow._

_The Doctor escapes from his trance of disbelief, and speaks to Rose. "Rose... You've done it. Now stop." Staring straight ahaead, Rose does not acknowledge his spoken word. "Just let it go!"_

_"How can I let it go? I bring life." Her eyes glow brighter, just a little, and off in the distance, Captain Jack Harkness breathes once more._

_"But this is wrong," the Doctor shouts. "You can't control life and death!"_

_"But... I can. The sun and the moon, the day and night..." Rose shows pain and concern in her expression. A single tear falls down her cheek. "But why do they hurt?"_

_"The power is gonna kill you, and it's my fault!" The Doctor's voice falters, just for a second._

_"I can see everything... All that is... All that was... All that ever could be..."_

_The Doctor stands up. "But that's what I see. All the time." He looks at Rose caringly. "And doesn't it drive you mad?"_

_Rose nods, almost unable to speak, " My... My head..."_

_"Come here..." Rose walks into the TARDIS and stands in front of the Doctor._

_"... Is killing me." Another tear rolls down Rose's face._

_"I think you need a doctor." The Doctor grabs Rose tightly and kisses her with passion and what seems to be... Love? Golden light moves from Rose's mouth to the Doctor's until the power of the TARDIS has left Rose's body. Once the Doctor pulls away, Rose drops, and he slowly lowers her to the ground._

_Rose opens her eyes to see that she is lying on the floor of the TARDIS. She sees the Doctor standing at the control panel in the center of the room._

_"Rose Tyler. I was gonna take you to see so many places..." The Doctor appeared to be in pain, but his voice was strong. "Barcelona... Not the city, Barcelona. The planet, Barcelona. You'll love it: fantastic place. They've got dogs with no noses!" He lets out a pained laugh. "Imagine how many times a day you end up telling that joke, and it's still funny!"_

_"Then... Why can't we go?" Rose sounds tired, dazed._

_"Maybe you will, and maybe I will. But not like this."_

_Rose stands up, obviously confused. "You're not making any sense."_

_"I might never make sense again! I might have two heads! Or no head! Imagine me with no head. And don't say that's an improvement!" He lets out another small laugh, and Rose smiles._

_"It's a bit... Dodgy, this process." With this, Rose's smile fades. "You never know what you're gonna end up with."_

_In a flash of light, the Doctor doubles over in pain, letting out a yell. "Doctor," Rose shouts, sprinting to the Doctor's side._

_"Stay... Stay away!"_

_"Doctor, what's going on?" Rose's voice shows her pain, concern, and confusion._

_"I absorbed all the energy of the time vortex; no one's meant to do that! Every cell in my body... Is dying." He's in pain, no doubt about it._

_"Can't... Can't you do something!?"_

_"Yeah... I'm doing it now. Time Lords have this little trick. It's sort of a way of cheating death, except... It means I'm going to change. And I'm not gonna see you again - not like this. Not with this daft old face._

_"And before I go-"_

_Rose cuts him off. "Don't say that!"_

_"Rose. Before I go, I just wanna tell you," the Doctor smirks at his companion, "you were fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. And you know what?" Rose shakes her head, tears falling uncontrollably. "So was I."_

_A final flash of light shines, and they are both engulfed in the bright golden glow._

_~end flashback~_

The strength of that memory is enough to affect anybody for the rest of his or her life. But it's not just the memory of the Doctor regenerating that affected Rose the most. It's the adventures they went on. The Doctor taught her a new way of living life. "You don't just give up; You don't just let things happen. You make a stand; You say no. You have the guts to do what's right when everyone else runs away."


End file.
